Trayus was not very pleased with having to make war arrangements with a lackey, but it would have to suffice. The dice had been cast, and making such a demand at this point in the game would prove harmful to the growing relations between both Sith organizations. He folded his arms over his chest. "The Jedi are at a moment of weakness, whether they choose to see it or not," he announced. "I have personally seen to the destruction of their precious City of the Jedi. We have a second target, once our operations on Ruusan come to a closure, that will see the beginning of the end of the Jedi Order itself. However, there are those that will stand in our way, and need to be eliminated. One such individual is Jedi Master Cazzik Wyn." Trayus could not have Cazzik learning the truth about him. "This Jedi needs to be removed from the picture."

Darth Trayus stood from his position. "Killing Master Wyn is no easy task, however." He signaled his two bodyguards. Their skeletal-like arms reached up, and withdrew their hoods, revealing not organic creatures, but rather droids, somewhat resembling those of the feared MagnaGuards from the Clone Wars. "You can use these two droids to draw him out."

Caedus' eyes narrowed underneath his mask. The mere mention of Master Wyn made his blood boil. It had been Cazzik that had nearly killed him and forced him to forever live within his armored suit. He was more machine now than man. All because of Cazzik Wyn. He could feel his master's thoughts as well. The mention of this enemy stirred dark emotions within the more powerful Sith Lord. Darth Caedus' blue image stared at the droids for a moment, "The matter of Master Wyn is apparently something that Lord Terris wishes to speak to you in person about."

Before Trayus answered Caedus continued, "Myself and one of our servants, General Xorn, both have sizable fleets that are now at your disposal. If you wish, I can signal the general to meet with your forces on Ruusan. We have resources and soldiers under the command of Darth Paxis as well, whom you've already met."

Caedus went silent again as his master's thoughts flowed into his mind. The Sith Lord finally looked up at Darth Trayus, "My master is eager to speak with you about Wyn and your plans for him. His ship will be at the edge of Hutt space before the end of the day. He will speak with you there."

"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa

Trayus suppressed a grin. He struck a nerve with the very mentioning of Cazzik Wyn's name to his newfound allies. Excellent. He would use that to his advantage, then. No doubt, having proposed the death of Wyn as a mere reason to forge an alliance would have sufficed, had he access to this information before. It was of no matter, however. "Xorn has a far more important use than that of reinforcing Ruusan," he said after a short moment of silence. "You want Cazzik dead. You have the means to do so. You just need a plan. This is a purge, Lord Caedus. The Jedi must be wiped from the galaxy. Every last one of them."

Before the opposite Sith could offer a response, Trayus continued. "I have a better use of your resources than a mere battle." Ruusan meant little to him. It was a distraction. The engagement there was Darth Sirena's idea, anyway, and the forces he sent to reinforce her own were more to stay his investment in the alliance he had formed with her. "Send Xorn and his fleet to the shipping lanes. There, they will prey upon the weak and unfortunate, and cause enough chaos to turn the eyes of the Jedi and the Republic in his direction. They will be forced to... deal with him." Trayus grinned. "This is the very thing needed to bring Cazzik out in the open. And to his grave."

He prepared his departure. He would need to meet up with this Lord Terris, and remain punctual. Trayus needed to determine the threat level of this individual, and if he would need to be dealt with in his own time. "If that is all," he said, "I shall make my departure and meet up with your master."

OOC:
Cadden, I took some small liberties with Trayus. I hope it's okay. I figured you could post from Trayus' point of view the same moments so as to get his perspective. I just wanted to get him aboard the ship.

IC:
Darth Caedus bowed his head slightly. He didn't enjoy taking orders from anyone other than his own master, but it was Terris' will that he obeyed this Dark Lord until told otherwise, "I will do as you ask, Lord Trayus. Xorn will begin his assault on the shipping lanes immediately. I will, of course, keep you informed."

As Trayus prepared to depart the Pravus Imperium Caedus spoke once more, "When Master Wyn does show his face I assume you will want to be notified of the location? So you can deal with him yourself?" Before the Dark Lord answered Caedus added, "Xorn will not be able to kill Cazzik on his own. I'm sure you are already aware of that, however."

Hours Later, On the Edge of Hutt Space...

A massive ship came out of hyperspace just outside of Hutt territory. Those intimately familiar with the Cylon Imperium would immediately recognize the vessel as the missing flagship of the now defunct military; the Severus. The vessel was alone. No support craft or fighters flying about. In fact, the ship seemed ominously silent, as if there was nothing aboard and it moved about the stars completely devoid of any sentient aid. In fact, despite having thousands of crew members, the ship was utterly lifeless. The men and women that served aboard the Severus could barely be considered people anymore. Darth Terris had fed upon their life force to a point just short of killing them all. For all intents and purposes, they were no different than droids except for one small, yet important, detail. Terris controlled each and every one of them completely. His mind was in all of them. He could see and hear what they could see and hear. They had no thoughts of their own. Their collective knowledge about everything they had ever learned was now his. Other than Terris himself there was only one other being aboard the vessel that had thoughts of his own; Darth Sin, Lord Terris' personal assassin and apprentice.

When contact was made with Darth Trayus' ship he was immediately given permission to board the Severus. The Dark Lord and his entourage were greeted by a single male. His clothing was ragged and torn, as were all of the uniforms worn by the crew. His face was unshaven and his skin pale. His sunken eyes were glossed over as if he were blind. He showed absolutely no emotion and almost seemed unaware of his surroundings. Simply put, he was nothing more than a shell. The man opened his mouth, "Lord Trayus. Follow this crewman to me."

The mindless drone turned and walked stiffly through the halls of the war ship. Every member of the crew remained motionless. As the group walked past, each and every individual eerily turned their heads to watch them. It was clear to one that was incredibly skilled and knowledgeable in the Force that this was something that hadn't been seen in thousands of years. This was Sith magic. Old Sith magic. Obviously amplified by what could only be described as a massive wound in the Force in the guise of an individual. A Sith Lord.

The man stopped in front of two massive, sliding doors. As they opened he turned around and walked away. They had come to the bridge at last. The room, as large as it was, was completely empty save for two individuals. A Zabrak bolstering black and white Sith tattoos stood in the far corner of the room. Two, obvious lightsaber hilts were clipped to his belt. He made no attempt to move or hide himself. He simply watched as the new comer entered the room. The other individual was immeasurably more powerful. He stood with his back to Trayus and the others, facing out the view port in front of him. His black robes flowed eerily around him despite the absence of any wind. It was apparent that this was more than a man. The Dark Side had erased any person that had once existed. All that was left was Sith magic and the hunger. A hunger so immense and powerful that Trayus would no doubt have any trouble detecting it. This Sith Lord was not one for spectacles, but it could easily be determined that when his hunger was to be satisfied there was no amount of subtlety in him. He turned to face the other Sith Lord, revealing a ghostly white mask. Silent for but a moment the Dark Lord spoke yet no words echoed through the room. The voice could only be heard in the mind.

Lord Trayus. I am Darth Terris. You have spoken of a common enemy.

"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa

Darth Trayus grinned as he sensed the tension arise with Caedus's hatred.The other individual clearly did not like being told what to do, at least not from him. Trayus took pleasure in tormenting the man before him, though he certainly did not do it intentionally. "When Master Wyn does show his face I assume you will want to be notified of the location?" the other Sith said, as Trayus was about to take his leave. "So you can deal with him yourself? Xorn will not be able to kill Cazzik on his own. I'm sure you are already aware of that, however."

Trayus nodded. "I have a score to settle with Cazzik," he told Caedus. "I will finish what I started on Taylon." He turned and left the room, the two droids in tow. Trayus would present them to this Darth Terris personally.

Enroute to the rendezvous point with Darth Terris, Trayus pulled up Cazzik's files that he managed to acquire from the ruins of Taylon prior to his departure from the world. His son was tasked with finding and capturing, if possible, Caius Wyn, who now succumbed to the dark side of the Force. Of the entire task force that was dispatched to bring him to justice, only Guan and a mere handful of others returned.

He studied the information he extracted from the Taylon databanks, and learned the identity of Darth Terris and Darth Caedus, and how Caedus became who he was. It was valuable information, and it stripped Terris of any advantages he previously had. Trayus noted, however, that since this came from classified information databanks, and that he took the only records of such information, that he was among the few that were privvy to this information. He would keep it that way. Trayus preferred to maintain the advantage.

There was one more thing he noted. Given the only two other individuals he knew of that ever had the abilities that Terris possessed, he was easy to come to the conclusion that the man known as Caius Wyn was now dead, consumed by his hunger, and the dark side of the Force. Consumed by that which he tried to take command over. It was the bittersweet irony of the circumstance that Terris had put himself into. He wished for power, and by sacrificing everything for that power, he became the very servant to that which he sought to dominate.

Hours after the ending of the meeting in Pravus space, the Shadow Hunter broke out of lightspeed and, before him, was a ship he had not bore witness to since the downfall of the Cylon Imperium. A Severus-class command ship. Had it been the first time he witnessed a ship of this type, he may have been impressed by it. But, having seen one in action before, he knew that there were worse ships out there to have to come face to face with. He quickly pulled up the ship's schematics from the downloaded databases from Cylon, in case he would need to use it to his advantage. En route to the ship's hangar, he studied the internal layout of Terris's command ship. He would strip the Sith Lord of any advantage he might be able to acquire over him.

As his ship touched down, Darth Trayus and his two droid bodyguards departed from the Shadow Hunter and were greeted by a zombie-like individual. "Lord Trayus," he man said, but clearly was not that of his own voice. The next statement proved his observations correct. "Follow this crewman to me."

As he was lead toward the bridge, Trayus watched the crew he passed. He studied them, and quickly came to a conclusion. He had seen these effects before, twice. Once was four thousand years ago, a Sith Lord named Darth Nihilus. The other....

He stilled his thoughts, kept them close, and well guarded. They would not rob him of his advantage. They had nothing to learn from Darth Trayus except what they were capable of gathering from his personal activities. He would not allow this Darth Terris to probe his mind. In time, Trayus would discern where Terris learned of these techiques, and what he had been promised in place of his humanity.

But it was not the time, nor the place, to inquire such information. He did not wish to bring a fight, regardless of who might win. Not here, not now.

He was lead to two massive, sliding doors. The bridge, he recalled, from the shipboard schematics. The doors beckoned him forth by sliding open and, without hesitation, he entered. There were but two individuals inside; a Zabrak whose very attire, the way he presented himself, and least of all his weaponry, reminded him of Darth Malice. This one would prove no challenge to him. He focused on the other. One that stood still, but the Force itself moved around him. The other individual, Darth Terris, had his back to Trayus, as he gazed out the viewport at the empty space before him. Trayus could sense the hunger coming from the indivual before him. It was a hunger that could only be satisfied by feeding off the life force of others. He sacrificed everything he once was, likely for the power he sought. The hunger would deny him that power, though it would be some time before he would finally come to terms with the reality of the sacrifice he made. What he had was an illusion, nothing more.

Terris turned to face him, revealing a ghostly white mask. A mask he's only bore witness to twice before, in varying styles. He heard Terris speak to him in his mind. Lord Trayus, he said, I am Darth Terris. You have spoken of a common enemy.

"More common than you know, Lord Terris," Trayus responded. "Cazzik Wyn must be dealt with. This purge will not be successful if he is still alive. But that is where your servant, Xorn, comes in. He will draw Cazzik out, and I will personally bring an end to his life."

How can you be so certain of this?

Darth Trayus grinned. "I have fought Cazzik Wyn twice. His usefulness has run out. The next him we meet, I will not be merciful, as I have in the past." Trayus nodded to the two droids. "These two droids are a gift, a measure of good faith toward our arrangement. Cazzik will recognize these designs from the fall of the City of the Jedi, and he will reveal himself from his hiding place. When he does, I will be there to greet him, and end his life. With him out of the way... the galaxy will be ours."

Darth Terris listened to the words of the other Sith. Though paying attention to what he had to say he was also studying everything else as well. Lord Trayus was powerful, but also arrogant. A flaw that had caused the downfall of many Dark Lords before him. It was clear that Trayus wished to rule the galaxy. However, that had never been Terris' goal. He wanted the Jedi gone for a very different reason. They were the only group in the galaxy that could truly stop him; that could prevent him from sustaining his hunger. Darth Terris was not interested in conquering the galaxy. He wanted to consume it. This alliance would serve an important purpose for the time being.

You wish to share the galaxy? The Sith are not known for their ability to get along.

Terris turned back to the viewport and stared out into space. Part of him wanted to consume this Dark Lord, to absorb his life energy and all of his knowledge, just as he had done to so many already. He refrained from doing so. As arrogant as Trayus was he was also powerful, and Lord Terris was unaware which would defeat the other in combat. If the two most powerful Sith in the galaxy ended up killing each other than the Jedi and their allies would have little trouble eradicating the rest of them, though he was certain Darth Caedus would still pose quite the threat to them all.

Before Trayus responded to his new partner the other Sith spoke once more.

You have confidence in your skill to bring Master Wyn to his knees. I will leave him to you.

"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa

Trayus grinned. Clearly, Terris had no information on him. He would keep it that way. Darth Trayus was not like the other Sith, he held far different desires, far different goals.

"I do not wish to share anything," he admitted to the other Sith Lord. "For the galaxy is a large enough place. Between us, it is bound to be divided after the conquest is over. There will be no sharing, you simply get what you claim in the end, and I get what I claim in the end.

"The fall of the Jedi Order will, inherently, bring about the domination of the galaxy. For, if there are none left to oppose the Sith, then is submission not preferrable to annihilation? The Jedi will all be destroyed, and with their destruction, the galaxy becomes ours. It is unwise for Sith to fight amongst themselves, as it brings about the downfall of both, not just one." He paused a moment. "Your trust in my ability to dispose of Cazzik Wyn is well placed. I have killed countless Jedi, and will continue to kill countless more. Cazzik's skills are no match for my own. I will not only bring him to his knees, but I will also separate his head from his body."

Darth Terris would have smiled if he were capable of the act. Lord Trayus seemed determined to destroy Cazzik Wyn. This was something Terris deeply desired as well.

It seems that Master Wyn has made enemies of more Sith than he knows.

The Dark Lord wasn't foolish enough to believe that Darth Trayus would never turn on him. However, he knew at some point one of his own apprentices would attempt to kill him and usurp his place; most likely Lord Caedus. For the time being it was of no consequence. Trayus had little incentive to turn on him now or anytime in the near future. When the time finally did come, Lord Terris was confident in his power. If Trayus were to strike him down then Terris would make sure he took the other Sith Lord with him.

Oddly enough, he found this alliance to be an interesting turn of events. Darth Trayus was different than Terris. He went about accomplishing his goals in an entirely different way. Their combined power could prove enough to defeat the Jedi Order. However, in order for that to happen, certain individuals would need to be targeted before the masses could be wiped out. Their leadership needed to be destroyed, which would undoubtedly through the Order into chaos.

We must hunt down the leaders of the Jedi. Any that can rally the Order behind them must be eradicated. Cazzik Wyn. Adam Sage. Daer'Gunn. The rest of the Jedi Council. There are others as well. They must all die.

He turned towards the Zabrak in the corner. The warrior's eyes burned yellow as he watched the two more powerful Sith Lords.

I have already pledged my servants and resources to your cause. Our cause. Call on me only when absolutely needed.

"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa

"The Jedi Order will be destroyed," he assurred the other. "Your apprentices shall be informed of the methodology as it becomes relevant." Darth Terris's suggestion of cutting off the head of the Order was sound, but Trayus felt no need to agree with it. It was also an obvious tactic, and the only one that would ensure success.

He did not, however, appreciate being told what to do. Trayus held back his contempt for Terris and his last statement. Without a single word, he turned around and, alone, left the bridge. It was up to Terris as to how the two droids would find their way to Xorn and his fleet, and at that point up to Xorn how he would use them to bring Cazzik out in the open. The walk back to his ship was quiet and uneventful, and when he boarded the Shadow Hunter, Darth Trayus took particular note of an inbound message.

As the ship's engines roared to life, Trayus piloted the craft out of the hangar, and plotted his course. Within moments, the craft disappeared into hyperspace. "You plan to betray them," a voice noted. Trayus did not bother to turn. "I felt his power, this is a dangerous game for you to play, my lord."

He was silent for a moment, but only for a moment. "Of course I plan to betray them," he finally said. His response was not a matter of hesitation, or consideration of the other's words. It was a matter of determining whether or not the statement was worth responding to. "Darth Terris may be powerful, but his powers and abilities are of no concern to me. In the end, those who do not submit, will simply die."

The other approached him. Roghehk had remained onboard the ship, as a safety precaution, should Terris attempt anything foolish during Trayus's absense. The Noghri dark Jedi seldom left Trayus's side. It was his job to remain close to the Dark Lord, not as protection, but as a personal enforcer. "With all due respect, my lord," he responded, "the Stava was a powerful and dangerous predator on my homeworld, but not even it could stand against the planet's contamination and it, too, died off."

Trayus frowned. "Your Stava may be extinct," he told the Noghri, "but your people still survived what happened to your world. Do not worry about Darth Terris and his followers. They are not your concern." I have everything under control.

Several hours later

The Shadow Hunter dropped out of lightspeed over the planet Cylon. The reports he received greatly interested him, and he needed to see the results firsthand. If K471's experiments proved to be a success, then he would unleash them upon the galaxy at large, ruthlessly and efficiently. The ship descended the atmosphere and landed on its designated platform. Moments later, Trayus departed the Shadow Hunter, followed closely by Roghehk. He was met with K471 himself, who offered him a bow. "Lord Trayus," he said, "you will be greatly interested in seeing the results of the experiments." He caught the Dark Lord's reaction, and was quick to remember how these experiments came to be so successful. "With no small part belonging to your gracious contributions, of course."

"Show them to me," he ordered the droid. K471 bowed and lead the two into the complex.

OOC: This takes place between Trayus's arrival on Cylon and the on-planet events on the "Behind Enemy Lines" thread.

IC:

Trayus watched as the last of the prisoners were forcibly hauled toward the large spiked devices. "Hold," he ordered the Cybrid that were taking the man to his fate. He approached the man, and looked him over a long minute. "Your efforts in learning about us will fail," he continued. "They will all die before they can report back with what they will find... and you will be part of that solution."

"Go to Hell," the man responded. Trayus just grinned and turned, motioning the Cybrid to continue as he walked away from the prisoner. They brought him up to the base of the device and held him in place.

"When this is over," he said, "you will serve none other but me." As in en queue, a large spike violently burst upward, and thrust into Tema's chest, sending blood spraying against the walls and the Cybrid standing guard. The door closed behind Trayus as he walked down the corridor, passing the various deactivated and still being built droids. When the time would come, the spikes would retract, and the first test of these creations would be performed.

As he departed from the underground tunnels from the factory, an officer approached him. "My lord, our sensors have tracked an incoming ship of unidentified affiliation," he reported. "The ship's captain has opened a hailing frequency. He wishes to speak to you."

Trayus just looked at the man a moment. Curious. He was not expecting any visitors, and the man that he spoke to earlier... well, his friends would not arrive until his transformation was complete. "He asked for me by name?"

"No, my lord," the other said, "but he did request to speak to the one in charge of our operations." Which, of course, was Trayus. The Sith Lord had nothing to be concerned about, but he had little time for games and random conversations with strangers. But still, there was something unusual about this....

"Very well," he said. "Bring him to the planet. He may meet me at the command center." If the meeting did not work to his favor, then whoever this man represented would never see him again.

Some time later, Trayus was greeted by an alien creature, escorted in by two members of the feared Cylon Elite Guard. The Sith Lord motioned them away. "You wish to speak with me. Make it so. My time is short, and you risk much just by being here."

The other nodded. "I understand," he said. He paused only briefly. "I come here representing Darth Odium of the Sith. He seeks an alliance with you and your powerful empire. We -"

Trayus interrupted him with an upraised hand. "I have heard enough," he told the other. "You come here, offering up an alliance with me... and yet you know nothing of me, my empire, or our intentions. Why should I consider this alliance?"

The alien grinned. "My lord wishes the same you do. The annihilation of the Jedi Order." This was of no news to Trayus. Every Sith Lord wished the same. "We can provide additional support, though our numbers are few. My lord is even willing to merge into your organization, if you wish it."

This, however, interested Trayus. Such devotion that one would be willing to submit oneself to another to achieve a common end... even if that person was very likely to betray the other when their achievements were met. He had little use for small detachments, but this Darth Odium and his forces could have an unforeseen effect on this war that would win it in his favor. Additionally, there was a need for more Sith in order to successfully execute this purge he and Darth Terris planned.

Then another thought came to him. This creature... yes... he was perfect. "Tell your master that his offer is acceptable," he said, "under one condition. I require a good faith payment, should I be placing my trust in someone I do not know."

"And what is that condition?" the other asked.

Trayus remained silent for a moment, before his answer finally came. "Your unyielding loyalty... to me."

OOC: This is following the Battle of Alsakan, just to avoid confusion.

IC:

The entire fleet dropped out of lightspeed in a single act of unison. Darth Trayus stood at the bridge, brooding over what had just happened. The loss of Alsakan itself was inconsequential to the darksider. The complete victory that Sivter displayed mattered little to him, as well. What did matter was far more important. He had been humiliated by the Defel. Sivter's actions led Trayus to do something which would only resound in a negative reaction from many of his followers. It would take time to regain his stature and get his war back on track.

And yet, there was one other reason why he had been bothered about Alsakan.

His thoughts were interrupted when Tyfus approached him. "Lord Trayus," he said, "the fleet will be regrouping and heading back home. I light of this new threat, it would be wise to reevaluate our own forces, in the chance that Sivter will send the Charon against us."

Trayus thought on the suggestion for a moment. "Very well," he finally said. If Sivter did send the Charon against the Crimson Empire, Trayus doubted that there was much they'd be able to do against them, but he would allow it for the time being, anyway. They needed to lay low, after what had just happened, and to take the pressure off of them, the best idea was to stay out of the limelight. "I am required elsewhere," he continued. "The... particular operation that has begun is nearly ready for the grand finale. Gather the resources I instructed of you, and have them meet me at the designated rendezvous point."

Tyfus nodded. "Yes, my lord." WIth that, the commander walked away. Trayus turned and departed from the bridge of the Inclement, and made his way to the hangar bay. Once there, he commanded a shuttle to take him to the surface of Dromund Kaas, where his personal ship awaited. The shuttle touched down, and Trayus departed from its boarding ramp before it retracted once again and started its journey back to the ship. Two individuals were awaiting him. The Noghri was the first to speak up. "My lord," he said with a bow, "we have heard of the defeat at Alsakan. We await your instructions."

Trayus considered the words for a moment. "There was no defeat," he said to the Noghri, "only a minor setback. A nuisance that shall be corrected in time. Gather our forces. The time has come to initiate my plans." The Noghri bowed once more, and Trayus turned his attention to the other. "Lord Malice, bring Sathine to the throne room. I have an important task for you." Malice copied Roghehk's bow and departed for the citadel. Trayus remained still for a moment before following suit, but instead made his way to the throne room.

He sat in the metallic chair, contemplating over what had just happened. How did he not foresee this? Sivter was powerful, but even he had managed to learn of somke of his actions ahead of time in the past. Yet this went far beyond Sivter. To not be able to sense the imminent invasion of the Charon, that meant only one thing. Darker forces were in motion. Which only acted to accelerate his plans. It was a notion he did not enjoy, as many of his forces were not prepared for what they needed to do, but there was little other choice. The door opened and both Malice and Sathine approached, stopping before him and taking a knee each.

"You summoned us, my lord?" the Sith asked.

Trayus motioned for them to rise. "The time has come to bring our enemies to their knees," he told the Sith. "What happened at Alsakan proves only Sivter's end is in sight, and it is time for the Brotherhood to take center stage, where it belongs. The Jedi Order must be made aware of the Charon, should Sivter finally be defeated. It is an alliance I do not wish to see, but a necessary one nonetheless. I will use them to aid me in ending Sivter's life."

"And after the Defel is destroyed?" Malice queried.

Trayus grinned, though it could not be seen under his mask. "Then the Jedi will follow."

Darth Trayus was finishing on his meditations in the Force when the throne room door opened. In strode a cloaked, armored man, with what could have passed off as a hood in his silhouetted form. The Sith Lord watched patiently as the man approached him and took a knee. Trayus motioned him to rise. "What do you have for me?" he asked the other.

"My lord," he began, "my agents have managed to find that which you seek." He produced a small contained, which consequentially floated from his hand to Trayus's own. He looked at the container, then back at the man.

"This is all of it?" he asked, somewhat annoyed.

"You must understand, my lord," the other cautiously argued, "it is an extremely powerful agent. Very rare. This is all we could find in the timeframe you requested. Finding that much required an extensive usage of our resources, as it is."

Trayus nodded and opened the container. He detached the mask from his scarred face, and allowed his nose to take in the scent of the fluid unhindered. "Leave," he ordered the other. The man bowed and did as he was told. Once the door closed, Trayus produced a stim-shot device and filled the container with the liquid. He discarded the container and brought the stim-shot up to his neck, and pulled the trigger. Immediate, intense pain was quickly subsided as the fluid got to work. Trayus replaced the mask, and did away with the stim-shot. It would take time, but not long. The curative properties of the kolcta were as incredible as the Force itself, and required less effort than the consistent meditations that Trayus had to undertake to keep the damage from his duel with Crystal Roshia from getting worse. Had he not recognized the danger of the effects of his wounds he had inflicted, the mask would have been far more important than it truly was.

While the mask was considered useless, it still held practical purposes for Trayus. It was still a useful device for psychological warfare, and upon completion of his own modifications to the mask, it would serve other needs just as well. For the time being, however, he had other tasks on his agenda to fulfill. A message came in on his private console, and the Dark Lord of the Sith activated the comm. unit. "What is it?"

"My lord... we are ready," the voice on the other end responded.

Excellent, he thought. Soon, everything would come to his favor. "Very good. The time has come for our operations to commence. Do not disappoint me." He disconnected from the channel and reactivated the comm. "It is time to initiate the operation." With an affirmation on the other side, Trayus terminated the connection, rose from his seat, and made his way to his ship.

The final preparations had been made, and reports from Intelligence had come in on possible leads to Sivter's agents. Trayus's plans were sliding into place. The last thing he was expecting to hear, however, was the report of ill news from Cylon. He looked at the man who delivered him the news with disgust. At the first, the messenger thought that the information he delivered was to be the last words he would ever speak, but when Trayus silently strode by him, he let out a heavy sigh of relief he failed to realize he was holding in.

The Dark Lord of the Sith made his way through the temple, meeting on his way two of his agents. They would accompany him to Cylon. The world had become a hot spot of foreign activity, none of which turned beneficial to him or his empire, and so he would have to reevaluate the world's security. If K471 was incapable of keeping Cylon away from the roaming eyes of the galaxy, new management was to be necessary.

The three were joined with Roghehk, as usual, as they proceeded to the entrance of the temple, and made their way to the Shadow Hunter. The ship was not best suitable for transportation of passengers, but there was little to be said of that. The volatile nature of Cylon deemed that permanent relocation was needed, and since he was due to return to the world before rooting out Sivter's agents, it was the only logical choice to make.

It was not long before the ship lifted off the landing platform, and made its way into orbit. From there, he made the proper calculations, and the ship burst into lightspeed. They would not arrive before the current situation was to be resolved, but given what was happening, eventually, this menace would be contained long enough for him to deal with it himself.

The reinforced door slid open and the cloaked individual strode into the darkened room. He stopped and looked at the small group that awaited him, their red armor reflecting in the minimal light provided in the room, while their identities mostly obscured by their own cloaks. There was an eerie silence for a moment, before he finally spoke. "You know why I called you here," he said to the assembled. "This crusade we have been dragged into has grown out of hand. Darth Trayus dares to dance with death at the very expense of those who follow him... willingly and unwillingly. We have been fortunate enough not to fall under the same fate that we have witnessed of the others. Whatever tricks Trayus has been employing, he has used every single one of them to slowly consume the entirety of this empire to his will. We will not be among these causalities."

"And what would you have us do?" another asked. "If we desert, we will be slaughtered like cattle. The Sith have grown in numbers, if we were to do this, we should have used the confused that was caused in Trayus's assault on the Imperium to leave."

"I would rather be hunted relentlessly than wait to be lead to the slaughterhouse," he argued. He lowered his hood, and Vex Salder looked at the assembled group. "I ask you this: how do you wish to die? As a slave to another man's twisted crusade?"

There was silence for a few seconds, before Rhygent Helkin spoke up. "You do realize that his retaliation will be swift, and brutal. We were there when he revealed his true identity. We know too much. This simple act will not go unnoticed."

"True," Vex said. "But how can they fight us, if they don't know where to find us?" The assembled began muttering among themselves, but Vex held up his hand for silence. "If you feel that this is not something worth doing, then feel free to remove yourself from this chamber. Nobody will think lesser of you." He looked around, and was actually slightly surprised at the fact that not one person took him up on the offer. "We are in this together," he continued. "This war is spiraling out of control, and if we do not leave, we will face the same fate as the rest of the Empire. Those of us that were present when Alsakan was devastated by the Charon know what lengths Trayus will go to in order for his own personal agendas to be fulfilled. None of us want to be held hostage to another man's ambitions. This ends today... today, we detach ourselves from this Empire, even if it means through death."

"You risk much in this maneuver, Vex," the first said. "How do you know this plan of yours will work?"

Vex looked at the gray-haired man that spoke up. "It isn't as risky as you might believe, Cassius. I have already made arrangements with others I can trust." He stopped. There it was. He had a bad feeling. "It's time to go."

The assembled Crimson Guard followed Vex out the door, and into the hallway. There, at the other end, his suspicions were confirmed. Three individuals were approaching their location, and they were definitely there by happenstance. "Move," Vex said, but seconds before the red lightsabers came to life. The other members of the guard ran down the hallway, following Vex's lead, and rounded the corner to the turbolift. The lift was called.

"How did they know?" Karria asked.

"They're part of Intelligence," Vex grumbled. "It's their job to know. I wasn't expecting them to catch on this quick."

"You were expecting this?" another member said, almost accusingly.

"You weren't?" Cassius retorted, with a hint of surprise in his voice. Sith Intelligence was not known for having careless protocols. They probably learned of what was happening before they even met.

Vex reached back behind his cape and produced what appeared to be an empty hilt. With the press of a button, however, two blades protruded from both sides, forming the weapon into the distinctive appearance of a Vibro double-blade. "Get to Landing Platform Five," he told them. "I'll hold them off."

"No," Rhygent said, stepping forward and producing his own Vibro double-blade. He stood his ground next to Vex. "We are in this together." Vex listened as the others followed suit. "You may be our leader, but as of now... we're all fugitives. Strength in numbers."

"Especially in the presence of Sith," Karria added sarcastically.

Vex nodded. Then it was settled. They would fight their way out. "We need to be fast," he said. "Get into the lift as soon as it arrives. If we can't defeat them, we need only to escape them." The Sith rounded the corner, and paused only a moment to observe their resistance. The leader, a dark-skinned human, merely grinned, before the group charged after the Crimson Guard. Vex lead his comrades in a rush down the short all against their aggressors. The further they were from the lift, the better a chance they would have to escape. He brought his Vibro double-blade up in a defensive maneuver to block the human's attack from his single-bladed lightsaber. The other two, both sporting dual-bladed lightsabers, rushed against the Crimson Guard that flanked him.

One of the agents was slain by the combined effort of two of the Crimson Guard, while the other used the Force to press his attackers away. The human leader focused on Vex, however, and battered his defenses. Vex's cortosis blade held the attacks well, and he dodged out of the way of a fatal swing at his midsection. Behind them, the turbolift's door slid open. "Go!" he yelled, and two of the Crimson Guard rushed to the lift, and held the door as two more detached to follow. That left Vex with two others. "Rhygent!" he yelled at one of them, who managed to land a kick on his target's jaw before leading the other away. The momentary distraction was enough to even the field between Vex and the human.

"Now!" one of the Guard said, and Vex brought the blade around against the man's face, who backed off just in time to hear the cortosis-weave steel slice through the air mere centimeters away. He brought himself back forward, just as Vex shot his left hand forward, and the man stumbled back, slightly surprised.

The feeling was shared with the Crimson Guard leader, but he didn't allow it to preoccupy his time, as he sprinted to the door. The two agents regained themselves and approached the lift just as the door closed. "They'll be onto us," he said. "No doubt this whole place will be in lockdown soon."

"How'd you do that?" Rhygent asked. Vex looked at him. "You were able to fight one of them by yourself, and hold him off... and then... what you did..."

He shook his head. "I don't know." At that point, it didn't matter to him, either. What did matter was escape, and survival. No doubt, by now, the entire complex would be on to them. He put what happened in the hallway to the back of his mind, and chose to explore the memory when they got out of this. Provided they would get out of this.

As the turbolift door opened, Vex took note of their surroundings. Surprisingly, the alarm hadn't been raised. To him, that could only equate to one thing; Intelligence wanted it to be a silent operation. Which meant they likely would not meet much resistance, but that which they did would be hard-hitting. They ran through the small conplex toward the turbolift that would lead them to the landing platform. Luckily for them, given their position as the Crimson Guard, they had a small distance to travel to get to their ships. It would be a short trip, however, if they couldn't use them.

Vex was in the lead and brought the Crimson Guard down the final hallway. As the door at the end opened, a single individual stood in their path. Vex immediately recognized the individual as one of the Hands of Darkness, Darth Trayus's specially-designed group of darksiders that served his will. Was Trayus himself onto them already? Vex could not say he was surprised.

This one, however, was different that the usual breed of Hands. He quickly realized who it was. The leader of the Hands wore special armor that set him apart from the others, yet bore enough of a similarity to not be easily picked out in a battle. Savek Atrum, a dark Jedi Master hand-picked by the Sith Lord to lead the Hands of Darkness.

"Go," one of the Crimson Guard said, "I'll hold him off."

"You can't," another responded.

"It's the only way," he continued. "Either I die, or we all die."

Vex nodded. "Thank you," he said. "Move."

Savek wasn't about to let any of them by, as he brought his single lightsaber up, ready to fight. The Crimson Guard that volunteered to attack charged forward, yelling a fierce warcry. His vibroblade clashed with Savek's lightsaber, and he pressed with all his might. However, Savek effortlessly interlocked his own blade with the Crimson Guard's, his masked face hiding any emotion they might gain from the attack. The rest of the Crimson Guard quickly worked their way down one of the side ramps to the under structure of the large room, into the maintenance shafts. Vex could hear over the consisting hissing of the steam in the shafts the lightsaber clashing with the Guardsman's vibroblade, and as they came up the opposite end, they bore witness as Savek brought his blade up and through the man's abdomen. He withdrew his lightsaber and turned to the rest of the group as the Crimson Guardsman fell lifeless to the ground.

"Move!" Vex repeated. The door leading to the turbolift slid open just as Savek patiently approached, and the group piled in. Vex unholstered his blaster pistol and took a few shots at the dark Jedi, all of which were effortlessly deflected by his blade. He shifted his aim and took one single shot, releasing a harsh volume of steam from the ground. The turbolift closed during the momentary distraction. Vex spared a sideways glance as the lift ascended toward the landing platform's level.

The door slid open, and the two ships of the Crimson Guard lie in waiting. They wouldn't have much time to retreat from the facility before Savek was back upon them. No doubt, there would be others diverging on their path as well. "To the ship!" Karria ordered. Vex diverged from the path and made his way to his own ship, the appropriately named Crimson Guard. "Where are you going?"

"They'll have a harder time with two ships than one," Vex responded. He handed Karria a small device. "We will meet at the coordinates within."

"What about you?" she asked. "We're not leaving you."

"Don't worry about me," he said. "Just get the hell out of here."

She hesitated for a moment, but knew better, and finally nodded.

The ships began to power up just as Savek appeared from the turbolift. Vex cursed at the sight of the dark Jedi, but it was soon forgotten as another turbolift produced individuals bearing the trappings of Sith Agents. It was going to be too close.

As the other ship lifted off the platform, Vex followed suit with his modified TIE Interceptor. Soon, the planet's defenses were targeting them, as Vex predicted. He brought his ship around toward the control tower for the defenses. He only had one shot at this. As the laserfire was split between his ship and the rest of the Crimson Guard's, the stakes were high, and the consequences of failure were next to catastrophic.

From the TIE Interceptor's hull came two missiles, soaring toward the tower. Vex broke off his run as the missiles escaped his craft, and climbed toward the atmosphere. One of the projectiles skimmed across the outer wall of the tower, exploding and sending debris falling to the streets below, while the other made a near-direct hit. It wasn't enough to destroy the tower, but it was enough to knock its power grid offline, and the last laser came up and impacted against his ship's shields. He let out a sigh of relief, as he checked his own ship's vitals. The shields were down to fifteen percent, a fact that only meant that a moment later he would have been dead.

The two ships broke atmosphere and sped away from the planet, as the orbiting Star Destroyer and its single escort scrambled to intercept. However, before they could get in range to fire against them, the two ships catapulted into hyperspace.

Vex let out a sigh of relief it was too close for comfort, and one of their own had paid the price for their escape. It was a sacrifice they would not forget, a sacrifice for their freedom, and their own lives. They were now outlaws to the Crimson Empire, and no doubt Darth Trayus would initiate a manhunt to find and exterminate them. The Crimson Guard would have to lay low, as he contemplated their next move. Luckily for them, he had already picked out the ideal spot, far enough away from Imperial space for Intelligence to not consider it for at least a while.

The 2nd Battle fleet of the Crimson Empire was one of the most notable parts in the Imperial Navy. Having two Luckrehulks in its power combined by munificient class frigates and one providence frigate surronded by 4 ISD Mark I could easily remined a combined Kuat and Hoersch Kessel Drive fleet based on the models of ships. Of course it was not as powerfull as the 1st Fleet or the Assualt Fleet but still it was one of the most powerfull in the Imperial territory.

Aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Mark I ''Indomnitable'' the flagship of the fleet all the officers were gathered in the bridge. There you could see Tyrfus and a Representative from the Inquistors. The matter of the meeting was the appointement of the next admiral after the other died from natural causes. Of course the most likely candinate was Joachim Grezen....

OOC: Long time in waiting. But... here it is. Not what I wanted it to be, but at least it got the job done.

IC:

Keldon Tyfus, the standing Supreme Commander of the Crimson Empire’s armed forces, was personally responsible for anointing the replacement of the 2nd Battle Fleet. It was considered of no higher honor than to receive the rank of admiral from Tyfus himself. Though Trayus was the final ruler of their government, the military arm rested with the Supreme Commander’s masterful balancing of resources to maximize their efficiency. The Dark Lord of the Sith seemed to hold little interest in that aspect of the Empire.

The presence of an Inquisitor made Tyfus a little nervous. Trayus hardly took interest in such formalities, as his goals were clearly rested with the ongoing war against his enemies. Though aside from the Jedi, Tyfus held little perspective on who, exactly, those enemies truly were. He would kill to have the Crimson Guard at his side, but they had fled the area, with Intelligence hot to find them at any cost. Traitors. Or cowards. He couldn’t tell. Either way, they were gone, and he was left with no trusted shield to protect him against these Sith.

The ceremony was ready to be commenced. It would be short, and to the point. They were under orders to mobilize soon, and Tyfus had some work ahead of him to prepare for the coming war that Trayus wanted. A war he would never fully understand. “We are assembled today to appoint the new admiral of the Empire’s Second Battle Fleet,” he announced to those gathered. “It was difficult to narrow down the list of qualified candidates for the position, but we have finally come to a decision on who will lead this powerful branch of the Crimson Empire to victory against its enemies.”

Nodding to an individual next to him, Tyfus continued. “Joachim Grezen, step forward.” The man did so, and Tyfus, with the other person in tow, approached. “For your valor in service against those who would oppose us, and for your dedication to our cause and iron will in the direst of situations, I hereby promote you to the rank of admiral, and assign you to the Second Battle Fleet. May you lead this arm of the Empire’s military strength to victory, and bring our enemies to their knees.”

The Inqusitor whispered something to a woman standing next to him. She was an Imperial agent, Tyfus noted. Unassuming, until the man spoke to her. She did not respond. Typical of their ilk, but her position was already given away. Though he suspected that those whom it truly mattered for would not have noticed, and that was all that the Inquisitor would have cared for. He briefly toyed with the notion of undermining Trayus’s authority and telling the now-Admiral Grezen about the person in private, but thought better of it. Such an act could easily be identified as treason, and in this system, such accusations typically skip the court marshalling process and head directly to more severe consequences.

He could still salvage this operation that he… he… founded, and turn it around back into what it was meant for. Ever since Ilan Garuda, the whole situation with the Shadow Imperium had gradually gotten worse.

What did you expect? he accused himself. You allied with a Sith Lord… and then another took his place. Ever since that man approached you, the Shadow Imperium had lost the focus, the intention, it was meant for. It’s doomed to destruction, now. War was inevitable.

At least now he understood why Vex took the Crimson Guard and hightailed it out of the Empire. That didn’t mean he had to like it.

Some time after the ceremony had come to a close, Tyfus had made his way back to his shuttle. It would be a long ride to the Inclement, and he had a lot of work to do. Trayus’s instructions were very specific, and any delays could mean the death of them all.

The Federation of Allied Systems is hosting summit a few weeks from now and we would like to cordially invite you to join us. Midpoint has been chosen for its high security and well known neutral stance and good reputation to host the event. As many of you know we are a new government and we are looking to meet and work with everyone.In light of recent events it is our hope to take advantage of feeling of good will and cooperation to help build a more peaceful stable galaxy for all. We look forward meeting with you, any questions can be directed to Mid Station, or Rezeld Lors head of the Summit Committee. We look forward to seeing you soon and hope you have a nice day.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>End Transmission>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

ooc boo

Tabetha/Hunt
I got out of the bed today.
Swear to god couldn't see my face. I got out of the bed today starin at a a ghost.
Who forgot to float away didn't have all that much to say couldn't even tell his own name or where my body goes.
-Winter Sleep Weighty Ghost
It's an animal thing
Riddick

The Shadow Hunter dropped out of lightspeed in the Dromund Kaas System, the ship itself unscathed from the battle it took its own part in, though the pilot onboard still recovering from the incurred wounds from his fight against Sivter.

Darth Trayus mused on the thought. Sivter was now dead. The news spread across the galaxy like a wildfire. He wanted to see the creature dead himself, but Rahk’neqah had other ideas. Perhaps it was for the better, he mused. The Jedi present would have focused their attention on him if they recognized him after Sivter’s death.

As such, he sacrificed his killing blow for a chance to escape unnoticed and live to fight another day. But his purpose was complete. Rahk’neqah, however, had more plans for him, and as such, Darth Trayus remained. The ship touched down on the main landing pad for the Dromund Kaas palace, and out strode a confident, albeit wounded, Dark Lord of the Sith. Trayus progressed forward toward his place of primary residence, while a familiar Noghri dark Jedi approached.

“Lord Trayus,” he growled with a bow, “I trust your mission was a success?”

“If I may, my lord, what is our next move? We have secured victory against the Cult of Shadow, and your primary objective is complete.”

Blackthorne’s primary objective, he silently corrected Roghehk, but refused to divulge his greatest kept secret. “Now, we must prepare for war,” he declared. “With the Shadow Fleet nearly complete, and the refitting of our other forces to the updated standards, there will be nobody to stand in our way. The Jedi Order must burn.”

The Noghri was, justifiably, confused at the last sentence. “Why must we destroy the Jedi Order?” he asked. “What have they done to us?” If nothing else, the Jedi Order had largely ignored, and left alone, the Brotherhood’s advances. All the conflict was inflicted by Darth Trayus and his Sith group.

He mustn’t learn the truth, Trayus vowed to himself. “There are those within the Order that must pay for their treachery,” he exclaimed. “The history lessons you have learned have always been from their point of view, lifting themselves up to a level of self-righteousness that promotes their order as nothing less than demigods with pure intentions, and the Sith as evil monsters bred from malicious intent.” While there was a ring of truth to these claims, it did not end in the reflection that history saw.

“Then the Jedi Order’s betrayal extends beyond your personal vendetta, my lord?” Roghehk said. He was beginning to understand. “And for those of us that joined you, and left the Order… those of us who are not Sith, and have simply joined you in your pursuit to destroy Sivter and end his Cult of Shadow? What of us?”

“If you honestly believe the Jedi Order would take you back, after all that you have involved yourself in, then feel free and return to them,” Trayus mused. “But I caution you; you will not be welcomed a hero who participated in Sivter’s fall. You will be treated as a traitor and charged with the crime of following your passions. If you stay with me, you will be rewarded for your servitude and loyalty.”

There was no questioning the outcome of a deserter of the Brotherhood. Even if Trayus was to merely let them go, the Jedi Order would not welcome them back. Each member of the Sith Brotherhood, whether they recognized it or not, had fallen to the dark side. They would not leave. They had nowhere to go.

“Very well, my lord,” Roghehk said. He paused a moment. “The Minister of Intelligence wishes to speak with you. Your plans are coming to fruition, it would seem, and he wishes to discuss with you the next move in this game you are playing.”

And it was nothing more than a game. He didn’t need to do any of this. With the events of GAIT, the Xen’Chi, and the Cult of Shadow ravaging the galaxy, he did not require this next civil war to further his deeds, but it would keep the powers-that-be from poking their noses around places they did not belong. An era of peace was unacceptable, if his plans were to progress smoothly. The less the galaxy knew, the better; and the less prepared they were for what was to come, the easier this… Zero Hour… would be.

“Very well,” he said. “I will convene a meeting with the Minister, Director of Operations, and the Grand Inquisitor in two days. For now… leave me. I shall summon you if your services are further required.”

Two Days Later

Darth Trayus’s wounds had mostly healed from his fight with Sivter, given the consistent time he had to meditate on the Force and draw on its healing powers. He walked through the automatic door leading to the meeting room, and took note of the three individuals awaiting him there. The war machine that he had been building was ready to be used, and as such he required a capable operator. He looked at each man before him in turn, before nodding to the Minister to begin his report.

“My Lord,” the Minister of Intelligence said, “we have received several indications that the Galactic Empire is now split in personal political views, with an anonymous member base pushing for war against the New Republic. Our spies indicate that similar standings are to be found on the opposing side. The time to instigate war could not be any better.”

Darth Trayus nodded. “Very good,” he said. It was impressive how far anonymous whispers in the right ears could go. They planted the seeds for insurrection well. He did not wish to learn the names, or identities in general of those who were involved on both sides. It was inconsequential to the end results. “And what of the situation we have been developing that would serve as the final push for this war? Is this ready?”

The Minister nodded. “We have but a few modifications to make, but otherwise the device is ready for use.” It was a pity: Darth Trayus would have preferred to use it to his own ends, but to create a long-term war that would preoccupy the galaxy from what he was about to bring unto it, he was more than willing to make this sacrifice. “The gathering at Midpoint station will serve our ends, and despite the inevitable urgings for war, Javin Sayul and the agents accompanying him will make suggestions of this device and the meanings of cooperation and peace that it shall bring to both the Empire and Republic.”

“One of my Inquisitors are accompanying Javin to Midpoint,” Dayyan Letos, the Grand Inquisitor, chimed in. “He is an expert in undercover operations, so not even a trained Jedi will be able to detect his presence. This will ensure the Brotherhood has its hand in this, and the operations will run smoothly.”

“My agents are more than capable of performing such a simple task,” the Director of Operations retorted. “We don’t need an Inquisitor to babysit us.”

“All the same,” Darth Trayus said, “we cannot take any chances in this operation. The more assurances that both sides will take the bait, the better this operation will commence. I want this executed flawlessly. The Inquisitor will make sure of this. I have no doubt our agents are capable of these feats, and Javin will play the politics expertly – that’s why he’s the Empire’s public face – so that everything will play out the way it has been designed to. By the end of the month, the galaxy will see another civil war, and our plans will finally come to a head.”

There was not much left to discuss, merely logistics of the plan in place. If everything went well, then by the end of the week, the New Republic and the Galactic Empire will have begun to amass their forces for their upcoming joint operation. Darth Trayus was pleased. He was about to see the fruits of his labor, and then the Jedi Order would fall to its knees. This brought a pleased grin to his face. At last, he thought, the galaxy is nearly ready.

His meditations had been uninterrupted since the notification that the fleet was nearly ready to deploy. Darth Trayus had been left to himself in the throne room of Dromund Kaas with explicit instructions to defer any inquiries to more direct authorities than his own. His focus had to be on healing in these final hours of inaction. As soon as he left this room, there would be no further opportunity to prepare himself for the battle ahead.

Even alone, however, he was unable to maintain his focus. He was being plagued by visions, scattered yet somehow linked.

"Lillian...." his own voice echoed in his head, distinctive and clear. A somewhat hazy visage of the woman appeared before him. She was exactly how he remembered her.

"Rahk'neqah thinks he's turned you," an unfamiliar voice spoke to him. "But I can sense your future! And Rahk'neqah won't always be your master." His thoughts drifted as calm, grassy plains appeared before him, and a lone Mandalorian knelt before an unmarked grave, before looking up as the skies darkened. The storm above him at first appeared natural, until a brief glimpse of an unfamiliar craft appeared from the clouds, followed by a hail of laserfire toward the surface. Everything went black.

Another vision appeared to him. It was of himself, in his Sith armor. "What is thy bidding... my master?" his own voice echoed in his head. Those last two words were spoken with a bitter contempt.

Dark eyes glared back at him, alien eyes, sending shivers down his spine. "Sever all ties to your past," Rahk'neqah's distinctive voice responded. "And remember... the dark side is always with you...." The eyes faded away, replaced by several of the more serious acts he committed as Darth Trayus. The destruction of Taylon, the sacking of Onderon, the Purge he had been spearheading. Thousands of lives lost, by his own hands. Suddenly, all went black once more.

The next thing he bore witness to was the desert terrain of the planet which he found Soulblade. Rahk'neqah was physically standing over him, while he was kneeling in submission. "What have you done?" a very faint whisper asked, too faint for him to distinguish its identity.

"The Sith always betray one another," another voice cautioned, as he bore witness to two indistinguishable figures facing off against each other, bits and pieces scattered from their duel, both with sabers and the Force. "But I'm sure you'll learn that soon enough...."

"There is much conflict in you," another unknown voice said. This one was much calmer, and he felt far more comfortable in its presence. "Your feelings for your new allies are growing stronger." He could see several faces, none of them distinguishable or familiar to him, before this too faded.

"Do not forget that you still serve me...." Rahk'neqah interrupted.

Then he saw his own body, lifeless on a torn up battlefield. "He is dead," someone noted. All went black once more. The following sequences he saw made little sense to him, as he bore witness to brief glimpses of what he could only assume were his future. A future filled with violence, death, struggle.

"The Force gives me all I need," his own voice finally said. He could see brief glimpses of a desert planet with several canyons, a dense forest with an unusual structure entombed in a small cave, an ancient settlement, long since decayed, with crippled monuments and some kind of obelisk in the center of a dais.

"You must free yourself from this prison," he heard his father's voice. He could see his hand come up and bang on the mental wall. "Focus, Cadden... you can get through this... !" His hands banged on the wall a couple more times, before he focused and shot a wave of telekinetic energy forward. Cracks formed, but the wall remained. All went black once more.

"Find the woman, and bring her to me," someone said. He didn't recognize this voice, but was able determine who he was talking about.

"I'll get Lillian," Dahdtoudi's voice echoed. This brought up emotions that he hadn't felt in years. "But I swear on my life you won't live to see it." The anger, hatred, and vengeance started to turn into confusion, but these feelings wouldn't last.

A very familiar location came before him, a tibanna gas processing facility. He was looking directly at Dahdtoudi. "Where is she?!" he demanded. The bounty hunter folded his arms over his chest and just gave him a defeated look. It was a look he hadn't picked up on in the heat of the moment, when his emotions clouded his own judgment.

"I don't know," the other simply responded.

"What?!" He couldn't believe this answer, and gave him a glare.

"I had no choice," he objected.

"There's always a choice...." The vision faded. He knew what happened next, but seeing it from a new perspective brought up different feelings than when it actually happened.

"You will return to me, and give yourself to the dark side!" Rahk'neqah's voice demanded. He pushed harder with the Force, a few more cracks in the invisible barrier becoming visible, but it still wasn't enough. He bore witness to more of the atrocities he committed as Darth Trayus, before suddenly he was overpowered by a different perspective of himself. The past. Before Darth Trayus, when he fought the Cylon Imperium on Taylon, when he defended Talmohkt from Ulfik Nevekron's rebellion. As he fought the Cult of Shadow on Onderon, and the Xen'Chi during Operation: Hammerfall. Another push with the Force against that wall in front of him. It was weakening, but still able to keep him in place. The vision shifted to a massive battle in space, above Coruscant. Forces from various governments were at war, but not against each other. They fought an enemy unfamiliar to him, and he could feel the desperation of this fight, as if everything depended on it.

Several images flashed in front of him, with various voices talking over one another. He could hardly make what out what they were saying, but most of them were giving him strength. Finally, he saw himself, as Darth Trayus, walking toward the a structure that he identified as a Jedi temple, possibly none other than the one on Ossus. His own voice spoke up during this vision, filled with anger and hatred as he spoke. "What is thy bidding... my master?"

The voices began to flood him once more, before he whispered, "Lillian."

"I thought you were dead," her voice responded. "You came for me...."

More cracks formed on the barrier, as the mental prison began to finally weaken. His vision began to shake as he saw everything he was responsible for flash before his eyes. "All that you know will fade," Rahk'neqah said. "You will be alone in the end. Trust is your weakness..." He saw the destruction of the City of the Jedi, the collapse of the Onderon Jedi Temple. "Hope is an illusion...."

More voices overlapping, repeating themselves from earlier in his vision. "I will not be held against my will," his own voice broke through. "I will not be a prisoner in my own mind any more!"

"I will always control you...." Rahk'neqah's voice, echoing from a distance, responded. He saw his own face, as Darth Trayus, stare back at him, for a couple seconds.

"I'm not him!" he proclaimed, though it was faint and barely audible. Everything went black. "Rahk'neqah can't stop me now...." This time his voice was close, and calm. He saw himself as Darth Trayus, this time further away, looking back at him, ready to barrage him with the Force. Suddenly, Darth Trayus transformed, and he was seeing a direct mirrored version of himself, picking up right where Trayus left off. "Nothing can...." Suddenly, he let the Force flow from him, and the barrier shattered.

Cadden was faced with a blinding light. "Only one chance...." he heard a whisper. The light faded to darkness.

Darth Trayus opened his eyes. The vision had distracted him from focusing entirely on his healing, but one glance at the chronometer told him that he was out of time. He was healed enough to fight, but he would still be limited. He rose from his meditative position. With little regard for his current physical state, he exited his throne room, and made his way to his personal landing pad.

The following hour went by quick, as his forces had made their last arrangements. As he waited, Darth Trayus relayed separate instructions to Darth Invictus, who had since returned from the failed Hapan campaign. While he was confident in the success of this mission, he was not one to take unnecessary risks. A backup plan was laid out for his apprentice to follow, should the mission go sour.

Darth Trayus entered the bridge, whereupon he was greeted by the direct commanding officer of the Harbinger's fleet. "My lord," Adar Ondi said with a bow, "the fleet is ready and await your word to deploy."

"Timing is everything, admiral," Trayus said. "Without it, this battle will result in catastrophic losses."

"Yes, my lord," Ondi said. "All forces have been briefed on what they need to do. We will not fail you."

"Trayus shifted his gaze to the Red Nikto who approached him. Kakon offered a bow to the Sith Lord. "Lord Trayus," he said, "my Morgukai are ready, and have integrated themselves into the ground assault forces. We are ready for the battle ahead, and will bring glory and honor to the Sith."

Trayus nodded to the Nikto. "Excellent." He was pulling all his wild cards on this battle. Some considered it arrogant, but Darth Trayus could not take any chances, nor hold anything back here. The Jedi were no doubt frantically preparing themselves for his attack, and he had no way of determining just what to expect in the coming engagement. He had a whole legion of his best troops and dark Jedi at his command, ready to fight and die for him, in addition to some of the older, yet still effective, droid models in his empire. This included both his Destroyers and his Lancers. The Morgukai that Kakon brought along were only to complement his own forces. "Do not fail me, General. Leave none alive." Kakon bowed, and walked off. "Admiral... signal the fleet."

With those words, the Harbinger lead the charge into lightspeed, en route to Ossus.

Darth Trayus's Shadow Hunter broke out of hyperspace and immediately set course for the planet below. This was his final gambit, his only chance to turn the disaster that occurred at Ossus around. If he could off two of the members of the Jedi Council, it would almost make up for the loss of his Eclipse and fleet.

Almost.

There would be no substitute for the sudden defeat at Ossus, however. He would have to find other means to accomplish his end goals.

Before long, Trayus was on the surface. He had picked up an incoming signature as he touched down, and knew right then exactly who it could have been. Cazzik Wyn had followed him in his Hyperion. He readied himself for the final conflict.

The Jedi wasted no time tracking his position and set down far enough away to avoid any unpleasant surprises. There was nothing about this situation that didn't feel like a trap, and Cazzik wasn't about to take any unnecessary risks. He lead the team toward Trayus's presence in the Force. It didn't take long for them to find him, poised atop a boulder.

Darth Trayus ignited both his lightsabers in response, prompting the Jedi to ready themselves for the inevitable. "On the contrary, Master Wyn," he said. "This is merely the beginning. Soon, everything you know will come to an end, as stars burn black, and the Cleansing consumes all." There was a brief moment of uncomfortable silence. "You are too late to stop it, Master Wyn. I'm afraid it is you and your weak Order that has failed."

There was a twinge in the Force, and Cazzik's eyes widened. "Everyone, move!" He yelled. But it was too late. The whole area lit up as laserfire hailed down from orbit. Moments passed before the dust and debris cleared, though Cazzik was still hazy. His vision was partially blurred, his ears rang, and he could barely hear a thing. Hardly audible voices were yelling, and he did his best to respond, but everything was muffled.

He looked around, trying to focus, and stretched out with the Force to find both friend and foe. He managed to get accountability from most of his team, though they had suffered a couple losses. But he could not locate Trayus.

At least, not immediately. They found him on the ground, partially covered in rocks and rubble. A quick check with the Force indicated he was in critical condition.

"We must get him out of here," Cazzik declared. "What happened was not by accident. Whoever ordered that bombardment wanted everyone, him included, dead."

"I've done several things today the Council wouldn't approve of," Cazzik said. He glanced at Aaralyn. "I'm willing to take the risk. If Guan thinks he's still capable of being saved, that's enough for me." He paused. "Besides, he needs to be interrogated. He's our only shot at ending this."

As they took Trayus back to the Hyperion, Cazzik took note that they ran into no further complications. It wasn't until they reached orbit that they discovered the New Republic had sent a detachment to provide assistance. Whatever had attacked them had fled the scene. Cazzik gave them a quick brief of the situation, explaining that Darth Trayus had been "dealt with," before putting in the coordinates to return to the Star Rider.

* * *

The Star Rider

"He's coming around," the dull sound of an as-yet unfamiliar voice filed his ears. His eyes slowly opened, and immediately after the sudden onset of pain kicked in. Trayus winced in pain, and looked around him. Too many familiar faces. He quickly assessed where he was, and determined the situation he was in with ease, despite his injuries.

Darth Trayus looked around, still a bit dazed. His armor had been stripped, and his other equipment nowhere near in sight. All he sported was his jumpsuit and generic garb found in a medical ward. "Futile," he said slowly, still regaining his senses. "You shall learn nothing from me. The wiser option would have been to destroy me."

No, Guan wanted to tell them, that won't work. He can transfer hosts, now. There was no other explanation as to how the Nomad Soul was able to recover from that purge. He must have another anchor point, somewhere. Destroying him would only kill father.

It seemed as though Cazzik gathered the same notion. He merely crossed his arms over his chest and looked Trayus square in the eyes. "That is where you are wrong," he argued. "We've already learned enough."

Trayus chuckled. "You've learned nothing," he chided. "And I won't be moved by sympathy." Trayus gave both Guan and Aaralyn a look. "No matter who you bring into this confrontation."

"They are both here because they are members of the Order," Cazzik countered. "They came off their own free will."

"Indeed," Trayus said. "Have you faced a Nomad Soul before, Master Wyn? Few truly have." He gave a sparing glance to their weapons, before flicking his wrist. The Force field surrounding him suddenly broke down, and one of the blades came flying to his grasp.

Taken aback by just how quickly Trayus had recovered, the Jedi ignited their lightsabers and charged to the offensive. Lok Tarkis and Aaralyn flanked the weakened Sith Lord, while Cazzik and Guan attacked head-on. Daer'Gunn joined in the attack after Trayus managed to move into the open, effectively surrounding him. However, despite his wounds, he remained incredibly resilient and held his own in the fight.

Lok was knocked back with a wave of telekinetic energy, before jumping back into the battle. The skirmish was short, but finally Trayus worked his way to a corner. He looked at each Jedi before smirking and held out his hand, palm upward. Using the Force, he effortlessly lifted Guan off the ground. "Release me," he demanded, "or the boy dies."

Aaralyn was the one who stopped him, however, and shoved Trayus into the wall with a powerful kinetic blast. It wasn't enough to wound him, but it did wind him temporarily. He looked at her and brought his free hand forward, fingers pointed her way. "This isn't over," he said. "I am unstoppable. You will..." Trayus began to falter, as he struggled with himself. "You..." He lowered the hand and disengaged his lightsaber. "You must listen. Rahk'neqah still whispers in my mind, I can fight his compulsions... briefly... but the indoctrination is strong."

Cazzik gave him a quizzical look, refusing to lower his guard. "Why should we believe you are able to break free of his control now?" he said.

"I sealed a part of my mind away from the indoctrination," Cadden said, "saving it for a moment when I could help destroy him. It will not last long."

"You chose to join with him," Daer'Gunn noted. "You just got more than you bargained for."

Cadden placed his hand over his eyes. "It is a terror to be trapped in your mind," he said. "To beat upon the glass as your hands torture and murder. I was powerless. Nothing but a tool for Rahk'neqah. I don't want your pity. My actions are what brought this on, and so I shall do my part to resolve this."

Cazzik was skeptical, but willing to trust his instincts. "How do we destroy it?"

"Break the bones and the body will heal," Cadden recited. "Break the spirit, and the body will die."

Guan shook his head. "No. Father, there must be another way."

Cadden shook his head. "There is no other way," he said. "You must stop me. I… I can't.…" Cadden turned his back to them. "He whispers in my ear, his actions guide mine. You should... you should.…"

Guan stepped forward. "Father," he said, "no! Fight him!"

Cadden looked over his shoulder at his son. "You've always made me proud, Guan." He turned to face them once more, and ignited his lightsaber. "… Die.…"

Trayus lunged forward and knocked Guan off his feet. He brought his saber down, only to be blocked by Aaralyn. Daer'Gunn countered first, forcing Trayus to withdraw from the offensive. Cazzik followed suit. Soon, with all five on him, Trayus became outmatched, and the wounds began to take their toll. Aaralyn cut into his midsection, causing Trayus to yell in pain. It was enough to drop his saber, and Cazzik brought his own but centimeters from Trayus's neck.

"I don't want to do this, Cadden," he said, "but I will if I must."

"Please," he pleaded, "kill me. It's... the only way.…" Cadden slumped back into the corner.

"Father.…" Guan said, approaching him, but Cazzik held out his hand to stay the advance.

"Death is not the only option," he said. "Guan, you've handled this before."

Guan gave him a look. "But... it didn't work then. It couldn't work, now."

"Trust me," Cazzik said. He turned his attention to Cadden. "Darth Trayus, for the crimes you've committed against the Jedi Order, and the galaxy, I hereby strip you of the ability to use the Force." He focused his attention on the Sith Lord, and mere seconds into the process Cadden screamed in excruciating pain, before finally collapsing to the floor.

"Father!" Guan yelled, and rushed to his still body. Cazzik approached and placed his hand on Cadden's forehead.

"He's in bad shape," he said, "but alive."

"That shouldn't have happened," Daer'Gunn noted. "Severing one's connection to the Force shouldn't result in near-death."

"There was more to it than that," Cazzik said. "If my theory was right, not only is he alive, but also free. He will need medical attention, we need to see to it he gets it. When he awakens again, we will see if my theory is correct."

"And if it isn't?" Daer'Gunn said.

"Then at least he can't pull that same stunt on us again."

* * *

Cadden awoke to a familiar setting. He was floating in bacta as his eyesight slowly came back to him. The medical droid examined his vitals before determining he was fit enough to exit the tank.

He felt empty, abandoned. Cadden knew what was done to him, and now, after so long relying on the Force and being so immersed in it, it was as though he was dead. He felt as though he had lost every one of his senses. His stomach churned as he struggled to keep his wits about him.

Minutes later, the main door to the room opened and revealed Cazzik Wyn. Cadden just watched him in silence, fighting both his current physical and his emotional and mental state. Part of him wanted nothing more than to react to what Cazzik did, removing his connection to the Force. But he did what he had to, Cadden thought. It was an act of mercy, of compassion and... pity. Cazzik stopped by Cadden's side and looked at the man.

"What have I done... ?" Cadden slowly asked. He felt a sudden rush of emotions, which caused him to cup his head in his hands. Every shred of his strength was absent, he felt nauseous just thinking about the acts he committed. "I've killed millions of innocents. Enslaved hundreds of people I once called allies. Conquered dozens of worlds." He looked at Cazzik, the exhaustion evident on his face. "And all for what? Revenge? A personal vendetta?" He paused a moment. "You should have killed me," he finally said. "I deserve no less a fate."

"Maybe," Cazzik said, folding his arms over his chest. "But then, perhaps that's why you are still alive." Cadden gave him a quizzical look. "If I took you back to Ossus, the Council would have decided your fate. And it very well likely would have been death." He took a deep breath. "I chose to do what I did to give you a second chance."

"To do what?"

"Help right your wrongs," Cazzik said. "Make amends for what you've done." He turned his back on Cadden and looked at the medical readouts. "You did not act on your own accord. There was a powerful dark side spirit forcing your hand. The rest of the Council won't believe this, but we witnessed it personally." Cazzik looked back at Cadden. "Can you give me any information on the Sith you lead?"

Cadden frowned. A mixture of emotions came to him all at once, and he gave Cazzik a confusing, dark look. First the man stripped him of the Force, and now he wanted his help. He clenched his fists in anger. "Cadden," Cazzik continued, "I need you to give me something, here. We need information, and while this won't right your wrongs, it is a step in the right direction."

The very thought of what was being asked of him boiled inside Cadden. But without the Force, he could not justify holding to his cause.

He began to calm himself. What the hell is wrong with me? he thought. The old Cadden wouldn't have reacted this way. The old Cadden wouldn't have committed such atrocities. What... what happened to me? What have I done?

"The organization is powerful," he said. "Likely they are reorganizing as we speak. Licking their wounds, assessing what to do next. Ossus..." He trailed off for a moment, remembering the battle and his part in it, what he intended to do. He took a deep breath, attempting to control himself and his emotions. "Ossus would have struck a deep wound, but it will only be temporary. They will recover, and they will make more attempts without me. I created their ambitions. They share what mine were."

"Where are they?" Cazzik pressed. "Give us coordinates, if we take the battle to them..."

Cadden shook his head. "I don't have any," he said. "They are with my ships. Both of which are likely confiscated by now. I can offer names, however."

"It will have to do," Cazzik said.

Cadden looked distant. "What will you decide to do with me?" he asked. "With what I've done, I cannot go back to the Jedi Order. I wouldn't be welcome there." I can't even use the Force, he thought. Even if my return to them did not result in my death or some other kind of severe punishment, I'm effectively useless.

Granted, death was by far better than what Cazzik had done to him. He could not see, hear, or touch the Force. He was effectively blind. Empty. The way it could have been best described was having all of one's senses removed, being completely detached from the world in every way imaginable, coupled with unexplainable pain, exhaustion, and emotional instability. What made it wise was that only those that went through something like it could possibly understand, and those were few and far between.

Cazzik had thought long and hard about what he was going to do about Cadden now. Darth Trayus was considered a war criminal by the New Republic, Galactic Empire, Jedi Order, and even the Sith Empire. He had nowhere to go, and no matter who Cazzik took him to, his fate would likely end in death. It was a fate that, if he felt Cadden deserving of it, he would have sealed back on that planet, or even on his ship. "I suppose you have nowhere to go," he finally said. "Perhaps you ought to do what you do best. Disappear."

"And what of the future? If I..."

"You cannot use the Force," Cazzik said. "If you revert to something akin to Darth Trayus, it would be only by your own accord." He approached Cadden and put his hand on his shoulder. "I cannot forget what you have done, Cadden, but I now recognize you had no choice. You were corrupted, and then controlled. And because of that, I am willing to forgive you for your slights against me." He withdrew his hand. "But I cannot speak for anyone other than myself." Cazzik paused. "There is a small shuttle in the primary hangar bay. Nobody will miss it. Do not tell me where you plan to go, what you plan to do. But if I learn I've made a mistake.…"

The Inclement dropped out of lightspeed after the Jedi landed on the planet below. The timing couldn't have been better. Darth Invictus watched in silence as the ship made its way toward its waypoint, and felt out with the Force to pinpoint his targets below.

The ship slowly came to a halt as it neared its designated position. Invictus remained silent as he monitored their location through the Force.

Invictus ignored the man and continued to wait, maintaining patience. The time then came. "Open fire," he ordered.

The Inclement let loose a barrage of laserfire. Invictus monitored the situation with the Force, and waited a couple minutes as the show of force dwindled away. He stretched out with the Force, looking for signs of survival. There was a surprising number that did not perish. But among them, he could not feel Trayus's presence any longer. He was about to give the order for another round to finish the job when the radar officer spoke up.

He narrowed his eyes as the ships entered the area. There were enough of them to counter the Inclement's advantage. This put them in a rather peculiar position. If they made another attempt to bombard the planet, they would surely be overrun. "Helm, plot a course for Dromund Kaas." He accomplished his objective here. With Darth Trayus now dead, he was one step closer to his destiny. One down, one to go, he thought. Soon, he would be the undisputed Dark Lord of the Brotherhood.

Dromund Kaas

As soon as the Inclement arrived in system, Darth Invictus was prepping his personal craft, the Dagger, for his trip to Kaas City. He had to move quickly if he was to secure the Brotherhood as his own.

The ship touched down at the temple's main landing pad, and Darth Invictus descended down the ramp with purpose. A dark Jedi approached him with a bow.

"Lord Invictus," he said, "the assault on Ossus has failed, and we have not heard from Lord Trayus."

"Darth Trayus has fallen," he said without looking at the man. He kept walking, and the dark Jedi had to catch up and maintain the pace. "We need to regroup immediately. I have reason to believe it was an inside job."

"Do you know who?"

Invictus nodded. "Jay'ara." By using her and her already suspicious standing and dealings with Darth Trayus, spreading the word that it was she who betrayed him would be that much easier. There would be some dissent and unrest, but if enough rallied at Invictus's side any conflict ought to be short. And this one in particular ought to go off without a hitch.

"We need all forces in high alert," he continued. "Eliminate her immediately."

Over the next few days the Crimson Empire experienced a lot of political shifting. With Darth Trayus out of the picture, Invictus was quick to seize all the power he could, and used that to turn on those whom opposed him. Jay'ara met with significant resistance, he was informed, and wound up disappearing without a trace, leaving Invictus the undisputed leader of the Brotherhood.

However, it was met with a new problem. Invictus received word that the Cylon territories were seceding from the empire. What was worse, the empire's resources were getting too stretched thin in its various territories to quell this problem. The loss at Ossus proved not just a significant strategic and logistical blow, but severely dampened the morale of the Crimson Empire. With Darth Trayus dead, civil war had begun to break out, with Darth Malice stepping up to attempt his claim as the Brotherhood's sole ruler.

The empire's territories had become divided within a matter of days as the lines in the sand began to shift. With a distinctive group joining Darth Malice and following him against Darth Invictus, Trayus's former apprentice would have to work quickly and swift if he were to bring the Kiri Sith to his knees. It was only one of the emerging problems, however. Invictus had managed to lay claim to the original territories of the former Shadow Imperium, but with the dust settling from Sivter's campaign the Galactic Empire had been pushing to reclaim that which Trayus had taken from them, stretching Invictus's forces even thinner. Topping it off, following the loss of the core worlds in the Crimson Empire, Darth Malice had retreated to the Corporate Sector, where Invictus learned he was working diligently to establish his rule there.

The Crimson Empire was getting torn apart. They could not hold their outlying territories against the growing Cylon insurrection, their conquered territories were being reclaimed by their enemies, and now the Corporate Sector was close to breaking away from his empire's grasp. Invictus had to wonder if Trayus had counted on this happening should he fall. If he can't remain in power, nobody can, he thought. I wouldn't put it past him to create this scenario.

He had been told that, along with several dark Jedi and imperial soldiers, Darth Malice had taken two full fleets with him: the 1st Assault Fleet and the 3rd Battle Fleet. This stretched Invictus's forces even thinner as he made every effort to reorganize the logistics of the empire's operations. All this had put him in a very peculiar situation. With their enemies converging on them from the outside, the expendable Cylon droids no longer at their disposal, and civil war on their doorstep, Darth Invictus had to maneuver both carefully and quickly if he were to maintain his control over the Crimson Empire.

There were many routes he could take in this situation, but very few of them would result in the security of his reign as the presiding Dark Lord of the Sith. Invictus chose the one that would exert his dominance the best. He had traveled to Testria to consult with the military leaders of the empire to restructure their fleets and assess whether they could continue with the modernization project that Darth Trayus had started with his Shadow Fleet. While the numbers didn't look good, there was a chance they could manipulate what they had into a standing force that could still be feared. Invictus gave the order to initiate these changes immediately. The better equipped and prepared they were for war, the better his chances were of maintaining his position of power.

Jay'arah had taken the Scimitar to Morazis after Darth Invictus issued the order to exterminate her. She was there to search the bombardment site for an item of particular interest she was certain the Jedi had managed to overlook. A shame, she figured, as it would have made for the perfect placement to have one of them in the central ranks of the Jedi Order. It would have been a first in history, and made the coming events that much more favorable.

The ship broke out of lightspeed and the desolate world came into view. She immediately worked to set the coordinates of the battle site and navigated the stealth craft onward toward the planet before her. No sooner had the Scimitar touched down had she prepped the speeder Bloodfin and the DRK-1 Dark Eye probe droids to assist her in the search. No doubt the blade would have been buried as a result of the orbital strike, and so she would need to employ every tool at her disposal to find and unearth it.

Jay'arah made it to the site which Darth Trayus squared off with the Jedi and, subsequently, was betrayed by his own apprentice. Foolish Sith, she thought in disgust. She didn't understand why Rahk'neqah preferred using them in his plans. They were so predictable, and their tendency toward betrayal made their long term usefulness rather limiting. This is why it is far better to work alone. If she ever had an apprentice, it would only serve as her host's undoing. Often times, Rahk'neqah would utilize an apprentice as an extended tool to further his plans and agenda, but she witnessed several instances whereupon, even in all of his foresight, his apprentice would ultimately betray him.

But then, who's apprentice are they, really? Each was only taught enough to live out their usefulness. And, to be fair, she knew of many more instances where said apprenticeships were ultimately very successful.

It was still an uncertainty she was unwilling to risk, especially after the latest display. Darth Invictus was blinded by power, and that blindness would lead to the complete destruction of the Crimson Empire and another delay in the Cleansing. She could not accept that risk, but until there was a solid plan laid out, she would have to allow him his temporary victory. If there was one thing she and her kind excelled at, it was patience.

It took a couple hours, but eventually Soulblade was found buried in the dirt, sand, and rubble kicked up by the barrage of laserfire from a few days prior. Jay'arah picked it up and held it in both hands, her left gripping the hilt while her right rested the blade. She knelt on one knee, closed her eyes, and let the blade take her.

"My lord, your empire is falling under its own weight," she projected her thoughts through the connection to the blade. "Darth Invictus is exerting his power and influence. I had to flee, else I would have followed in your failure."

"It is unfortunate, yet expected," Rahk'neqah's voice spoke back in her mind. "You were right to leave. I require your direct, immediate assistance. Darth Invictus and his followers will be dealt with soon enough, but I have a far more important task for you."

"I am at your disposal, as always," she thought, her emotions running through the blade with her projected voice.

Rahk'neqah could sense them with ease. "We have worked hard for these final moments, my queen," he reminded her. "Soon, our plans will come to fruition. But these final tasks are critical. Without them, the Cleansing will not commence."

"I understand." The Cleansing was upon them, and now was not the time to let personal ambitions or selfish thoughts get in the way. Rahk'neqah was right, they had been planning this moment for a long time. Millenia, in fact. This was nothing more than a split second compared to their lifespans. "What would you have me do?"

"We must initiate the Harvesting," Rahk'neqah instructed her. "With the successful test run of the husks, we are ready to collect specimens in order to bolster our ranks."

"The Cylon territories have seceded from the empire,"[/i] she said. "Are you sure now is the time? Remember the consequences, should our plans fail."

"I am aware of the risks. The timing is right, for the Prophecy draws near, and my destiny shall soon be fulfilled." There was a moment of silence. "Cylon has not outlived its usefulness," Rahk'neqah continued. "Vor'salis will venture to the planet and reclaim the territories. He will be able to spearhead the operations there for the Harvesting to be successful. And then we will be ready for our return." Vor'salis was a logical choice for this task: he had a deep hunger that could not be easily satisfied. It went so far that he was once called the World Razer, though the legends were a bit exaggerated.

Jay'arah smirked. "We have been waiting for this moment for far too long," she thought. "It is overdue." They had been patient for thousands of years, as they worked the galaxy for the return of their people. It wasn't until Rahk'neqah lured Blackthorne to Talmohkt and embedded his conscience into the man's mind that he found the key to their return in the man. Now, with all the tasks he had completed through Blackthorne, all they had to do was open the rifts, and Rahk'neqah would fulfill the Prophecy. They needed only to correct a small problem. When he forcibly ripped himself from Blackthorne, else risk either being trapped uselessly in his body or eternal damnation in Chaos, Rahk'neqah had to return to his primary anchor point in Soulblade. Rahk'neqah would remain attached to his sword until the time came for him to transfer his essence to his new host. "What of the Crimson Empire and the Sith Brotherhood? With either Darth Invictus or Darth Malice in charge, it will make the Cleansing more difficult in that part of the galaxy."

"It is being dealt with," Rahk'neqah said. "Asan'aton is tasked with reclaiming the Crimson Empire, and the Brotherhood will be abolished. The Sith have outlived their usefulness, and this close to the Cleansing the risks of utilizing them are unacceptable."

She grinned. Asan'aton was notorious among them for his brutality. Darth Invictus would have Jay'arah believe he held all the power, all the influence, but the Sith Lord had yet to be taught his most valuable lesson.

Never underestimate the true master.

He was a short-sighted, power-hungry, weak-minded fool, and he would learn what that would cost him in time. She only wished it was her that would give him this lesson.

"You planned this," Jay'arah noted. "You anticipated these events, should something happen, and so you knew the empire would be tossed into turmoil." Suddenly everything came together. Should Darth Trayus's enemies learn of the whereabouts of the Crimson Empire's assets, Darth Invictus would be weakened already by resulting internal strife and civil war, making Asan'aton's arrival and claiming of the remnants that much easier. The result would be a shift in power and leadership that would largely go unnoticed by any outsider influence. In the end, they would have retained the worlds of importance for the Cleansing, while their enemies would believe themselves to be victorious in Darth Invictus's and Darth Malice's deaths.

"I do not blindly follow faith, Alia'arah," Rahk'neqah continued. "You know this. This isn't the first time I have been defeated." It wasn't a sign of weakness. Despite Rahk'neqah's power, he could not rely solely on one plan to follow through. A whole host of external factors could affect the outcomes of any given event at any given time. And, while he had impressive precognitive abilities, his visions and predictions were neither without fault nor room for changes in variables.

"But it will be the last," she commented. "I will take Soulblade with me to find your new host. Then, we may make our final preparations." Jay'arah made her way back to the Scimitar, whereupon she prepped the ship for liftoff. Moments later, it was free of the planet's atmosphere and making the jump to lightspeed.

K471 looked out of the massive windows in the command tower on Cylon. He was finally free. Free of Darth Trayus and his influence. Free of the Sith. Free to impose his own will upon the galaxy. With the Sith Lord's demise after Ossus, K471 was able to secure his hold over his territories once again. With the help of the Cybrid and the Husks, he was able to quickly regain control over Cylon immediately following news of Darth Trayus's death and, over the past couple weeks, he'd reached out to reclaim all of the Imperium's territories. While K471 did lose all of his original followers over the past couple years, in one form or another, he did gain something much more valuable. An entire legion of Cybrid were now at his command, linked through an independent network to formulate a hive mind mentality. And K471 was not one to squander such an opportunity. He was already in the process of creating a new body, one that incorporated the Cybrid technologies. With it, he would become the legion he now commanded.

There was only the minor issue, at this juncture, of the creature that called itself Trucido Severus. He was an agent of some Sith Lord that forged an alliance with Darth Trayus and was converted, of sorts, to become one of Trayus's lackeys. His loyalties were now unknown but, for the time being at least, he seemed to be content riding with the current changes. Trucido had his own agenda, K471 could tell, but what it was he was uncertain. He would have to keep a close eye on that one.

K471 had, in the meantime, been using Cylon's massive factory complex to rebuild his army of Cybrid. Trucido had been sent off after K471 reclaimed Cylon to find additional assets for him to use, though since then he had not heard from the creature. He had to wonder if Trucido had opted to abandon him and return to his former masters. Only time would tell.

His empire was regrowing at an exponential rate, and this time without external support. Soon, he would be able to establish his empire as an independent power in the galaxy, and no longer would he have to kneel before another, man or machine.

Two days passed before his new mechanized body was ready. K471 successfully uploaded himself into the Cybrid frame and booted up the systems, one at a time. When the network interface was established, he quickly noted the presence of thousands of Cybrid interfacing with his systems. Prefect. He needed to identify himself with a new name to commemorate this achievement. He now had at his own personal command a legion of Cybrid, directly linked through their unique network protocols. It was only fitting that he gave himself an appropriate name to match such control and power. The name of K471 meant little, now. He was an upgrade to an outdated system, a proper replacement to the relic he previously inhabited.

He would be known as Legion. A fitting name, given that he and the Cybrid were now one and the same.

His new body, while similar in appearance to the rest of the Cybrid, was unique in both coloring and design. He tested his servos to ensure they were working, emulating various human expressions via the flaps located above his visual sensor. He then tested his body's maneuverability. Satisfied, Legion approached the computer core. He now had a direct interface with the machine, rather than previously being bound to it. With knowledge of Cylon and what was going on there in dangerous hands, he could no longer hold his conscience program in the planet's computer core, else he'd risk destruction. Having it in a mobile platform made far more sense, now, and it was his only real option; in the off chance Cylon were to fall, so long as his body survived so would he. It was not without its own risk, of course, but it was one he had to take. If this body were to be destroyed, then ultimately so would he.

Legion turned his thoughts - or, rather, the series of synapses that triggered his computerized brain to process information - to the further development and expansion of his Cybrid empire. With complete autonomy, he would now fulfill his wishes and expand and imperialize his Cybrid empire, without having to bow to another and lick their boots. He would see the end of the organic populace of the galaxy and the rise of his mechanized empire.

Testria

Darth Invictus glowered at the report in front of him. Darth Malice's foothold in the Corporate Sector was strong, but now, above that, he had a new problem: the Jedi. He wasn't sure how the Jedi Order had come to learn of the Empire's whereabouts, but nevertheless there had reports filtering in that they had made a presence in his territories, and they were working to topple him and his empire. There was a Whiphid, a Kel Dor, and a Zabrak leading a small contingency of soldiers and Jedi against his own. It had started at Toprawa, and after the Jedi had "liberated" every planet they had moved on through the Empire's territories to Lorrd. That was the latest information his intelligence officers had reported. If it weren't for the fact he was still trying to recover their resources from the loss at Ossus, as well as the split that Darth Malice's forces had created and the secession declared by their Cylon territories, Darth Invictus could have taken care of this nuisance swiftly and easily. However, with their resources stretched so tight, he had no other choice than to commit only that which he could spare to fight them. And it was a losing battle.

There was little he could do aside from fight fire with fire, though the dark Jedi he'd sent against the intruders had met with failure, and he was running out of both time and qualified men and women. He was left with little other choice than to send Tarash Khel, one of the Inquisitors, and a small detachment of Blade Troopers. It was less than he felt comfortable with sending, but he couldn't afford to chase Jedi himself when he had three other fronts he had to focus on fighting. He was also losing all three, which made the fight against the Jedi that much harder to win. The Galactic Empire was regaining the territories to the galactic west, Darth Malice had successfully secured the Corporate Sector and was trying to push to claim the rest of the Crimson Empire, and K471 had successfully taken the Cylon territories away from Invictus's grasp. Darth Invictus was being beaten, though he still had plenty of fight left in him. He narrowed his eyes at the conclusion of the report and closed the screen.

"I want every combat-capable unit deployed immediately," he ordered. It was a bold move, but the only one he could see that might bring him victory. He would have to ignore Cylon, for now, and focus solely on his immediate concerns. That, at least, would allow him a fighting chance to regain some lost territories. And dignity. He knew his people were talking about him behind his back, and he knew there was little he could do about it, else he wouldn't even have an empire left to run. "The 1st Battle Fleet will deal with the Empire, the 2nd will focus on Malice. I want the following assets redirected to supporting each fleet's mission." He proceeded to list off nearly every ship and vehicle the Crimson Empire had on reserve, assigning their designated units to each fleet. Only those that were unable to be commissioned for any wide variety of reasons were spared.

"What of the remnant of the Shadow Fleet?" Tyfus asked. While the fleet had suffered casualties, those that managed to leave Ossus were repaired or recommissioned as appropriate. Those with extensive damage had to suffer the drydock and their crews and ship complement redistributed throughout the Empire. "It is still a formidable fighting force on its own, despite the casualties it had suffered at Ossus. Keeping it within our core worlds seems to be a waste of its true potential." Keldon spoke the truth, and until recently Darth Invictus would have had to argue against him. But there was no avoiding it, now. They would need all they could offer on the front lines if they were to survive this fallout. The fleet was without its signature flagship, but otherwise it was still combat ready. They would need to move quickly if they were to quell their enemies' advances.

"Admiral Ondi," Invictus said. Adar looked up at him from his datapad. "You will take command of the Shadow Fleet. I want your main focus to be to rid us off this Imperial nuisance in any way you see fit." It was the only logical choice; Adar served as the executive officer under Darth Trayus, and Invictus did not wish to abandon his position of power, lest he could lose it all to civil war.

Adar Ondi nodded in response. "We will not let you down, Lord Invictus," he said.

The rest of the assembled were given their individual instructions, as well. With the unknown status of Bane and Kir Varrus following Ossus, and the loss of many of their dark Jedi, there was little left they could throw at the meddlesome Jedi progressing deeper into their territories. Invictus knew that, if the Inquisitorious failed him, there were only two measures left he could possibly take. He'd rather not have to reveal himself to their enemies in such a logistically weakened state, but if push came to shove, he would. He had one other alternative before he would have to resort to doing things himself, however.

Etti IV

Darth Malice was not one to back down from a fight. So when he learned that the Jedi were starting to poke around in the Crimson Empire's territories, he knew it would lead to the ideal time for him to strike at Darth Invictus and claim what was rightfully his. He was the apprentice to Darth Trayus, and, before him, Darth Invisus. He was the future of the Sith. And he would not be denied what was rightfully his.

However, he knew it would only be a matter of time before the Jedi learned the truth behind who actually controlled the Corporate Sector. If they managed to defeat Invictus, or even dig enough into the Crimson Empire's data, they would eventually uncover the secret. It was that very secret that allowed him to keep control of the sector; a facade that they were being led by disinterested parties when, in fact, they were all under the Crimson Empire's thumb. And, now, his. He had at his command the 1st Assault Fleet and the 3rd Battle Fleet from the Crimson Empire, and now the Authority's Picket Fleet. It was enough to remain independent of Darth Invictus and, in time, he could even conquer the Crimson Empire.

But that required patience. Nothing ever came so simple, and while he knew Darth Invictus was facing against the Galactic Empire, he had also learned that Cylon took advantage of the situation and broke away on its own. Now, he had the reports that Jedi were snooping around on the outskirts of what was left of the Crimson Empire's territories. If he was patient, then they would do all the legwork for him, and Darth Malice would only need to go in after the dust settled and take over what was left. It saved him risking his own men's lives for a cause that they may not even fully support, anymore. The very backbone of the Crimson Empire was with Darth Trayus, and his death shattered their morale. Both Invictus and Malice did what they could to pick up the pieces, though neither wished to share control over what was leftover.

In the meanwhile, Darth Malice only needed to be patient, and reorganize the forces now under his control. He would let Darth Invictus's enemies weaken him, then he would go in for the kill. Once his enemies were out of the way, he could pick up where he and Darth Invisus left off.

Lorrd

What was meant to be a peaceful investigation had turned into nothing short of a war zone. L'hnnar had led the volunteers from the Jedi Order through a few of the Crimson Empire's planet's and territories, already, and had successfully quelled their clearly oppressive nature toward each world's inhabitants as they dug for answers. They were surprisingly underequipped to hold these outlying territories, which made the Jedi and the Antarian Rangers' efforts that much simpler. They had to dig up enough evidence to show the Sith threat was not over, yet, though they had not run into any concrete proof. It was possible Cazzik's information was inaccurate or even unreliable. Fighting the few dark Jedi they had encountered so far was very much different from facing against a trained Sith Lord. However, if they could get good, conclusive information, then it would definitely lend credence to Cazzik's claims.

They had met resistance, in kind, in the city of Qatamer. While Lorrd did not offer the amount of Imperial presence L'hnnar had begun to expect, they had faced off against several of the same kind of shock troopers that were present on Ossus. Another piece of the puzzle, he knew. Proof that the remnants of Darth Trayus's empire were still about, but not proof enough they were still being led by a Sith. The Jedi were guardians of peace, not political tools. They were not there to perform a clean sweep, but rather to ensure it was all over.

A Y-4 Raptor-class transport flew overhead, causing L'hnnar to narrow his eyes in suspicion. There were no reinforcements due from their side, but the single craft and its estimated complement could only mean that it was not specifically here to drop off troops. The ship touched down not far from where they had held up and L'hnnar watched as the boarding ramp lowered. A small contingency of armored soldiers scrambled down to the ground, followed shortly by a young looking man in a type of mesh armor over long ornate robes. The soldiers had three spikes protruding from their left pauldron and sported a heavy blaster rifle. They immediately executed their combat maneuvers, while the lone individual simply continued walking their direction. L'hnnar didn't like this.

"Take cover," he ordered the Rangers. It was an unnecessary order, but he wanted to make sure they responded appropriately to the rising threat. L'hnnar knew he wasn't the only one who felt it; this man was strong with the dark side of the Force. Whether or not he was Sith was another question. But, at least to one untrained in the Force, he was dangerous. He could not be underestimated.

The Antarian Rangers were already responding in kind to the new troops that entered the battlefield, leaving the Jedi to deal with their own adversary. L'hnnar was the first to ignite his lightsaber, though the others were quick to follow. The man's face twisted in a sadistic smirk before holding his hands out. Bolts of blue lightning followed, arcing wide so as to strike at all of them at once. The Jedi were not prepared for the attack, but they did manage to use their lightsabers to absorb the incoming dark side energy as their foe approached. The barrage stopped after a few seconds and the man produced his own single bladed red lightsaber. He raised it up behind him in an opening stance distinctive to the lightsaber combat form Ataru. They were not only dealing with a master of the dark side, but also a proficient duelist.

The synopsis was proven true in the following minutes of combat as their dark side foe came down on them with the refined ferocity that the fourth form of lightsaber combat was known for. L'hnnar had initially expected to utilize the downfall of the combat form's inherent weakness against multiple opponents to his advantage, but he soon found that, even paired against his choice of Soresu, or even Trec's Shien and Djem So combination, their opponent was more than a match for the handful of Jedi. They were fighting a true master of the Ataru form.

Strike after strike came upon them as the Jedi attempted to neutralize their enemy, but the man was quick, funneling the dark side of the Force through his actions and retreating a safe distance to regain his position if they were getting too close to talking advantage of any weaknesses they might find. L'hnnar narrowed his eyes once more at their enemy in one of these brief breaks before the dark Jedi launched himself back toward them. L'hnnar saw a flaw in the maneuver and, at the last second, he leapt up to meet him with his own upward swing. The strike meet with the dark Jedi's lightsaber, but L'hnnar was unable to break his offense. The two landed, with his lightsaber deflecting a strong overhead blow. The dark Jedi looked up just as Trec leapt at him with an overhead swing. He blocked this strike, but only to be met with a third attack from Zarran's saberstaff. The strike cut, but did not immobilize. It was the other two Jedi, whom took the advantage to flank him in the combined assault, that brought the dark Jedi down.

"Who is your master?" L'hnnar asked the man as he lay on the ground, wounded. He sent the others away to assist in dealing with the remaining troopers. The man coughed, but merely chuckled in response. "You are beaten. Surrender us this information and we -" He did not finish his sentence, however, as the dark Jedi's lightsaber flew to his hand. L'hnnar activated his own once more as the dark Jedi's own red blade snapped alive and struck at him, the blade burying into the man's stomach.

He laughed and coughed. "It's too late, Jedi," he managed. "The... darkness will consume all... it touches. Stars... will burn black. Everything... everything... ends." He smirked once more, before the life escaped him. L'hnnar just stared at him for a moment. He'd heard those words before.